Nemesis

Nemesis — Albrecht Dürer. c. 1501–02.

Medium: engraving. Dimensions: Sheet: 33.3 x 23 cm (13 1/8 x 9 1/16 in.).

Collection record: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.

Martin Schongauer’s painterly sense of light and composition influenced Albrecht Dürer. The younger Dürer even visited Schongauer but arrived after his death. Nemesis, based on a Latin poem by Italian scholar Angelo Poliziano (1454–1494), is the Greek goddess of moral judgment and justice; her goblet and bridle symbolize reward and punishment. The print showcases Dürer’s organized, graphic approach to engraving, with refined dark-to-light transitions that create an unprecedented three-dimensional effect. His varied marks—from long and winding to crossed and dotted—produce organized and finely detailed vignettes. Such large, elaborate engravings took Dürer months to complete and attracted a growing number of collectors.

Source: official collection record. Metadata selected and normalized by Artline from the source export, accessed 10 September 2026; no museum endorsement. Reproduction rights are separate.